Buying domains. Selling domains.

Buying domains. Selling domains.
Thanks to the low cost of domain names and hosting fees it is possible to own several websites without breaking the bank. There are several ways to manage multiple domains so it is important to know what your options are and the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

The most basic choice when administering multiple domains is whether or not to do so with the same host. Most hosts offer packages which can be set up to allow several sites on one account, or allow individual sites to be operated under separate accounts.

You may have an existing website and are happy with the services your host provides. If you decide to start a new website using the same host, you will have the reassurance of dealing with a company you are familiar with and trust. You may also get a discount for each additional account you open with the same host. On the other hand, using a new host for a second (or third or fourth) website can allow you to compare the quality of hosting offered by different companies. In addition, separate hosts will provide each of your web sites with a different IP address.

Having different IP addresses can be an important factor if you plan to link the sites together to aid in search engine optimization. Incoming links are an important indicator of the importance of a website, so a site with a lot of incoming links can get a higher position in search engines like Google. If all the links are coming from the same IP address, however, their value may be discounted. Hosting your various sites with different hosting companies guarantees that each site has a different IP address. Individual IP addresses, however, are available as an extra from most web hosts. For a yearly fee each website can have its own unique IP address. This can help with search engine ranking and is also needed if you want to have a secure connection (https) on your site.

If you decide to host all your sites with the same company, there are three basic ways to go. Each site could have its own account; you could sign up for a re-seller account; or you could get a dedicated server account.

As a re-seller you are acting as an agent for the hosting company. You are allocated a certain amount of disk space and bandwidth and you are free to use them as you please. There may be a limit to the number of websites you can host with your re-seller account, but if there is space left over after using this account for your own sites you could earn some extra income by selling accounts to other people. The advantage of a re-seller account is that all the technical details are taken care of by the hosting company. Some will even provide gateways for billing your customers.

A dedicated server account gives you control of all the resources of an entire server. You are free to setup as many websites as you wish and allocate disk space and bandwidth as you see fit. The downside to this type of account is that you are responsible for maintaining the server. This can require a significant level of technical know-how so if you don't have that knowledge or don't feel like learning about it, dedicated servers are not for you. You can, of course, go with a managed dedicated server. The downside of this is the higher cost involved.

Hosting all your sites with one host can offer lots of advantages but there is one major disadvantage – if your server goes down, all your sites go down. If you are depending on your sites for income this can be a disastrous situation. For this reason, it is a good idea to have at least one of your sites with a different host. If your sites are essential for your livelihood and you can't afford any down time whatsoever, you would be advised to host everything with (at least) two hosts.

What makes a domain name valuable?

What makes a domain name valuable?

What's In A Domain Name?

Choosing a domain name can be a real exercise in frustration, but it is one of the most important decisions you will make when getting your business online.

Why so difficult you ask? Well, for a start, almost every word in the English language (and I'm willing to bet most other languages too), has been taken in the most common domains. If you make widgets, you'll almost certainly find that 'widget.com' was purchased already back in the days when dinosaurs roamed the web.

To make matters worse, there are so many businesses out there with the same acronym as your business', it's likely that yours is gone too by now. Unless you are IBM, and can spend big money to either pay premium dollar for your domain, or sue for the rights to it, you're out of luck there too.

So what does that leave you with? Your full business name is a good start, however with hundreds of thousands of businesses operating around the globe, you may very well even find that problematic.

So how can you get your foot in the proverbial cyber-door? Here are some tips I have personally found helpful in the past:

- Start with your business name. If you're lucky, it might actually still be available. If so, buy it now for every country you will be likely ever operate in. There's nothing worse than preparing to expand into a new market, only to find that you have to operate under a completely different domain name in that country.

- Try some of the newer top-level domains. If you are a television studio, for example, you could register 'MyTVShow.tv' for your next series. Originally, there were seven top level domains, namely .com, .edu, .gov, .int, .mil, .net, and .org. Over time, however, more have been created. Aside from the country-specific domains, you might want to consider .aero, .biz, .coop, .info, .int, .jobs, .museum, .name, .pro and .travel if any of these support your business objectives.

- Create a new word and market it well enough to build brand identity. This is a more expensive choice, because it takes a while for people to start to remember your name. That said, once they do, they'll associate your business with a unique identity. It worked for Google, so why not for you?

- Try word combinations. These too are notoriously difficult to find unowned, but if you are a widget maker, and 'widget-makers.com' is available, perhaps you are in luck.

Of course, as with many things, it is often prudent to consult the experts. If your site is being developed by a professional web development business, they should be in a position to advise you from experience what pitfalls to avoid, and how to best market your business for maximum exposure on the internet.

David Malan is an internet and e-commerce expert with over ten years experience in designing and developing enterprise grade online solutions for business.

He owns and runs RealmSurfer Consulting, based in Perth, Western Australia.

Website: Web Design Perth About: About RealmSurfer Web Design Perth

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Malan

Domain name host. Use Multiple Domain Hosting And Reduce Your Hosting Costs

Domain name host.

Use Multiple Domain Hosting And Reduce Your Hosting Costs

If you are the owner of several websites then multiple domain hosting could help you significantly reduce your hosting costs. Multiple domain hosting allows you to host more than one website on a single hosting account.Allowing you to have many websites while only paying for one.

Generally you don't purchase a website you purchase a hosting account. In some cases this hosting account can only be used to host a single domain and hence a single website. In others the account can be used to host multiple domains and hence multiple websites.

There are of course both advantages and disadvantages of hosting several domains on a single hosting account.

The main advantage is, of course, the cost. Because domains are much cheaper than website hosting accounts choosing an account that offer multiple domain hosting is a far cheaper way of hosting multiple websites than purchasing a hosting account for each website.

As an example: Take a hosting provider that offers a simple hosting package for approx £70 per year and uk domains for approx £2.00 per year.To host four websites using:

a) Separate accounts the cost is: £70 *4 + 4*2= £288 per year

b) A single account and multiple domains the cost is: £70 + £2.0 *4=£78 per year.

The saving is £210 per year.

The disadvantages are that traffic for each site is usually counted together against the single hosting account and if your websites are popular then you may exceed bandwidth and or disk space limits.

In addition you may find that the log files that are provided don't allow you to differentiate between the domains as all the traffic is counted against a single domain.

The Hosting account has a single password and hence once logged in you can administer each domain. Therefore each domain should belong to you.

So who needs multiple domain hosting? Well anyone who requires multiple websites with their own distinct domain name should consider this type of hosting account.

If you only intend to host a single domain or website then you shouldn't discard the idea; as in many cases they are usually no more expensive than single domain hosting solutions.

Because of the popularity of mini websites and website reselling there are many hosting companies that specialize in providing multiple domain hosting and offer substantial discounts depending on the number of domains you intend to host.

Multiple domain hosting has the potential to significantly reduce your hosting costs, but as is the case for choosing any hosting provider, you should be aware of what other website services you require and choose your hosting provider accordingly.

Don't just go for the cheapest or the one that provides the most services!

Stephen cope is a freelance technical trainer and the webmaster of several websites.You can learn how multiple domain hosting works and get more website making tips and articles on how to make your own website at http://www.build-your-website.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephen_Cope

Buy your Domain name. Get your domain name today.

Buy your Domain name. Get your domain name today.

Do you need a domain name for your business? Here are just a few ways of purchasing one.

1. Think Up and Register Your Own Original Domain Name

Think up your own original name and register it at a domain name registrar. Although this seems obvious, many people feel that all the good domain names are already taken.

It is true that it won't be easy to come up with a suitable name that has not already been registered. However, with some careful thought, you may come up with your own original domain name.

For example, I once was going to buy a certain domain name but someone else beat me to it. Upon reflection, I came up with a comparable (if not better) domain name myself and simply registered it.

2. Buy Already Expired Domain Names

Sometimes you can find the domain name you want from a list of already expired domain names. (I did!)

Visit whois.net (or a similar site) to "Search through deleted domains" by keyword.

This way you pay no commission (just the nominal domain name registration fee) as you are simply registering a "new" domain name.

3. Buy Domain Names on eBay

Another source of domain names is eBay. Look under both of these categories:

• Computers & Networking: Other Hardware & Services: Domain Names; and
• Business & Industrial: Websites & Businesses For Sale: Internet Businesses, Websites.

4. Approach the Domain Name Registrant

Perhaps the name you want has already been registered by someone else. Why not approach the domain name owner and make an offer? The owner's contact information may be available on their website or from the domain name registrar.

5. Search the Internet

Visit domain name brokers, for sale and classified sites, forums, newsgroups, expiring domain names websites, search engines, auction sites, and other websites to find your domain name.

These, then, are just a few suggestions on where to buy your domain names.

RESOURCE BOX:

J. Stephen Pope, President of Pope Consulting Inc., has been helping clients to earn maximum business profits for over twenty-five years.

For profitable Work at Home Small Business Ideas, visit: http://www.yenommarketinginc.com/

For more information about profiting from domain names, visit http://www.yenommarketinginc.com/domain-names.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J._Stephen_Pope